Fortune
by butimbroken
Summary: Buffy/Angel. AU. He was told he'd meet her today. COMPLETE.


**Nothing Belongs To Me.**

**Ack. So Much Keeps Happening In My Life That Makes Writing So Difficult. I Do Apologize. I Miss Writing. =( This Was Just Something That Popped Into My Head In The Wee Hours Of The Night And I Found Myself Unable To Get Back To Sleep So I Wrote It Down And Finished It Up Later In The Day. I Will Blame Having Had My Fiance Watching Paranormal State All The Time As I Fall Asleep Heh. Not Great But Hey It's Writing! Something! Haha! I Do Hope To Work On ALL Of My Other Stories As I Can. 'Halloween Valentine' Will Probably Be Next. In Theory Anyway, Will See What Hits Me. **

Angel cursed and slammed the hood of his car down. He tilted his head up, closing his eyes against the sun and sighing. This was just not his day. It'd been one disaster after another since he first opened his eyes in the wee hours of the morning.

And now this.

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Angel began walking around the side of the car to reach in and grab his bottle of still cool water and took a few long gulps of it. He looked down one side of the road and then the other then sighed as he looked at the closest building.

He'd already driven by more than once, going miles one direction then turning around and trying the other then back again before his car decided to give out. He knew there was nothing else around for who knew how far. And in this current 110 degree heat he knew he wasn't going to make it far any way. But that didn't mean he liked it.

He got what he needed and locked everything up as quick as he could but without rushing too much before heading towards the building.

It was an old, eerie looking funeral home out here in the middle of nowhere. Yet, it had a certain charm to it too he supposed. But that wasn't what was bothering him. The fact that the place looked heavy in business today was the source of that. He didn't like the idea of crashing a funeral all that much to be quite honest. Not only that but having to ask for help over something that seemed so small in comparison while these people grieved for their fallen loved one.

On arrival, Angel finished what little was left of his large water bottle from the journey and tossed it in the trash. He did his best to clean himself up against the dust and sweat and tired look he was sporting before reaching for the door.

The blast of cool, crisp air that hit him almost made him want to pass out in relief before he even got all the way inside. Not caring for a moment, he closed his eyes and just leaned against the closest thing he could find and let the door slowly close behind him. He could mostly hear the air circling in the room as that's what had his attention and his ears were in and out of popping, a side effect of his in extreme heat, but he could hear the sounds of the service going on as well.

He was about to even fall asleep when he was jolted back into reality. Footsteps were heard, a flash of blonde hair and a black dress going past, sobbing and the restroom door swinging open then shut as the woman rushed inside.

Angel felt a tug on his heart that he couldn't explain. He knew he was always one to hate seeing others suffer but this was more powerful than anything he'd ever felt before. He rubbed his eyes and began looking around the lightly lit building he stood in. Over at the reception type area there was a desk and beautiful set up, but no one there.

He didn't know how much time had passed, though not much, before his head turned just in time to see her walk back out of the bathroom.

She'd cleaned herself up, but you could see the roughness this death was creating on the young girl. Her eyes were read, face streaked still, hair not exactly right. Heartbreak screamed from her. She was noticably nervous and still trying to gather herself up when her head lifted and green eyes met his. She almost looked startled.

Angel gave her a little friendly and sympathetic smile.

The blonde cleared her throat then seemed to put all her energy into trying to look brave as she walked towards him. "Are you here for the service? It's already started and almost packed back there but there's still plenty of room all the same."

Angel felt a kick in the stomach of guilt. More than he should have but couldn't help it. He tried to smile again. "Actually, I'm kind of here by chance." He said before he even knew what was coming out of his mouth.

This made the girl smile for some reason. It was both sad and beautiful. "Mom would say that's all the more reason, it's a sign or something."

"I'm so sorry..." he replied, seeing the pain in her eyes.

She smiled again. She looked like she wanted to say something but then stopped. A second later she reached for his bag and plopped it over the other side of the desk. "Your stuff will be safe here, nobody's dumb enough to pull something. Not here, not today. Honestly, not ever. Now, come on back."

He didn't know what to think, or what he was doing, but found himself following her command and being led by the hand by this beautiful girl into the swarm of people filling the small room. He saw the looks the blonde got, so full of love and compassion, as they headed towards the front. The girl wouldn't have any of his silent protests and made sure he had a seat right next to her.

The whole situation was odd but Angel felt all the more strange being here as he'd only been to one funeral his whole life. And it was nothing like this. He couldn't help but think back to his own mother's as he took in the crowd and the room.

He was admiring all the lovely flowers when he finally noticed the large portrait in the middle over on the right side where they sat. It about stole the breathe right out of him to see that face again.

"Are you alright?"

Angel turned his head quickly and knew he must look like a lunatic. His eyes were bulging and noticed his hand squeezing hers. He nodded. "Sorry." She patted his hand in return with her loose one then they both went back to looking forward, though his head was racing.

OoOoO

The service was coming to a close and they were to the point where you got to go up to the casket and say your final goodbyes before going off the the cemetery. They were in the front row and obviously the immediate family so they were up first. Again he tried to stay out of the way but found himself unable to resist the light tug on his hand leading him forward.

As his turn came, Angel spaced out, everything around him tuning out and becoming dark. She was older but he knew that face. He could remember meeting her all those years ago when both of them were so much younger clear as day. The day she foretold him of this very day, these very events.

As she and a few others began to move away and get into place to thank those for coming and all, she tugged on his hand bringing him with her yet again. He went, uncomfortably, and remained mostly spaced out and just reacting to everything on pure basic instinct. Thankfully, most anyone just passed him over and everyone focused on the young blonde he'd met. He saw the many hugs, tears, whispers of how wonderful the girl's mother was and how much she'd be missed. He watched the girl show genuine gratitude for everyone and everything, taking it all to heart, thanking them with everything she had.

"Angel?"

Again he didn't know how long he'd spaced out, but he was jolted by his name. His face scrunched up in confusion at the girl. 'How the hell did she know my name?' he thought before actually thinking about that statement.

"Do you want to ride with me?" she asked. When he remained silent and lost she continued, "To the cemetery?"

"Um..." he shook his head, not in a 'no' but like shaking the cobwebs away. "Okay?"

OoOoO

The blonde held his hand, sat as close to him as she could. In her hand laid one of the programs. It was flipped over to the back which featured a large black and white photo of Joyce at the bottom under some more loving words for the departed. He continued to stare at it until everything went black around him once again.

"You're going to marry my daughter," Joyce had told him. And now, it kept running through his mind. A lot of things about those fateful four days were.

His own mother, Jenny, had been convinced something evil was in their home. Ever since he could remember, this was what he knew. And to this day he wondered if his own memories of the supernatural were really things that happened... or was his mother's paranoia seeped into him. But his mother believed. She blamed the deaths of her sister, his father, her second husband and his younger brother all on this evil spirit or whathaveyou that lurked around the halls. She blamed incidents such as financial trouble, getting hurt or sick, anything on this... being. So then came reaching out for help.

That led to Joyce Summers. A supposed psychic and medium.

He was just shy of becoming a teenager by then, and sort of a troubled young man. Life with his mother wasn't easy, life in general wasn't back then. He was used to the strange and weird coming in by now though. Holy men and women, psychics, demon seekers, ghost hunters, anything and everything had been through the walls of his home. Some he almost believed, but most he knew were just full of it.

And then there was Joyce.

He was the one who went to the door, opened it up and gave a sarcastic look and wave inside. He didn't remember exactly what he said but he knew it was a smart ass comment. She got a chuckle out of it. He remembered liking her right away. She seemed more 'real' and if nothing else she was friendly. And despite her claim of what she was, seemed normal.

He liked that.

After a meeting with his mother and a walk through of the house, she came to talk to him. But it wasn't the normal he had with these people. She actually talked to him, about him and his life, her and her own life. She was noticably pregnant at the time and him having asked her what she was having led to the conversation about the fate she claimed to see for him and the unborn.

He thought it was funny, making jokes of what an impression he must have made then. But she lightly kept it going as he prodded for more, just playing into it more than anything else. And he remembered the sort of sorrowful look as she even explained they'd meet again today, at her funeral.

Angel remembered trying to brush it off, joking about was she planning on staying in his life then to make him aware of such an event or something of that nature. She had smiled, thought for a moment, then said no very slowly... saying instead it would be more... by chance. A series of unexplainable events would lead him to the girl. That he'd comfort her and help her in her time of need.

OoOoO

Angel stepped out of the car and helped her out as well, letting her lead the way again. A heavy weight remained in his chest.

He hadn't thought about that day in so long. He didn't think he had even a few weeks after she'd finished up at the house on through the rest of his days until now. Even though so much had happened, he just never had. But now, it was all crushing back on him.

The set up was lovely, even more beautiful out here than at the funeral home. It was no longer scorching he now noticed, instead the sky was cloudy and a nice, cool breeze blew around them. It looked like it was going to rain, but not until they were finished.

OoOoO

The rain did start, but like he predicted, not until it was done. They sat in the back together in silence, watching. Everyone had got back into their cars after all was said and done and the final few were taking off. The casket was lowered, covered. And that's when it started.

As they pulled away, the storm grew.

They were brought back to the home. The blonde reached under the seat and grabbed a handful of umbrellas and handed them out before getting out and heading back inside.

She led him through the opening room and back around the desk area to where his things had been placed. She pulled out a chair and offered it to him before she went looking through a few drawers. He watched her but also looked around, then seeing the name plate.

"Your mom worked here?"

She turned and nodded. "Had for most of her life, this place was almost like her second home." She shrugged then went back to looking until she found what she was looking for. She placed the envelope in front of him, face up. It was long, white and said his name across the front. The girl and he shared a look before she quickly excused herself to go finish up with a few things with the director.

OoOoO

Angel sat there for a few moments before opening it. A number of pictures fell out first, pictures from when she'd been at their house. Pictures of the house, her, his mother, him, groups of them together. Scribbled notes he'd seen her writing from her stay were in there. As was a note. He got chills even looking at the front line.

Joyce's letter spoke of her condolences for his mother's passing to telling him not to be overwhelmed by today and telling him about the girl. Her daughter. Elizabeth. Buffy.

He found himself reading it twice, then standing up and needing to walk around. He opened the front door and felt some of the pressure go away from the sounds of rain and the fresh, storm air flowing through.

"Are you okay?"

Angel spun around and found himself face to face with the beautiful blonde, Buffy, again. "Yeah..." he breathed. "Just..." he trailed off and was silent for a long few moments. "My car broke down," he said desperately.

Buffy smiled and nodded. "The town's pretty much shut down for the weekend but I left a message about getting you help."

"You knew?"

She shook her head. "No, not me. Mom warned me." Another small smile. "She told me you were coming, and were going to need some help."

"Yeah," he breathed, almost at a whisper. "Me too..."

"It takes time getting used to. But she'd never be wrong." A shrug. "I stopped fighting it. Accepting fate as it was to come."

Angel remained silent, leaning against the side table behind him. He closed his eyes and thought that might not be the worst thing to do.


End file.
